textproduct: Quad Cities

KEY MESSAGES

- A much cooler weekend is in store for the area. Unseasonably cool temperatures, with lows dipping to the 30s tonight and Sunday night, will bring the potential for frost/freeze, especially across our north.

- Area rivers remain on the rise from recent heavy rainfall. Refer to the hydro section below for more details.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/

Issued at 301 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

After a very active week of severe weather, a much calmer weekend is in store for the area - perfect timing to help with post-storm clean- up! The last remaining bouts of showers has moved out of the area as the surface cold front continues to sweep to the east. Cooler air is filtering in behind the front, along with continued gusty northwest winds early this morning (gusts around 25 to 35 mph). Lows this morning are expected to dip to the middle 30s near the I-380 corridor to the lower 40s over west-central Illinois, so it will be a chilly morning.

The gusty northwest winds are expected to continue through the afternoon, under partly to mostly sunny skies. High temperatures should warm only to upper 40s north to the middle 50s south - cooler than average for this time of the year by around 10 degrees. Then, a chilly night is on tap for tonight, with lows expected to fall to the lower/middle 30s. Winds don't go entirely calm tonight, along with a lingering mid-level trough that could keep clouds over the area at times, so the potential for frost/freeze is a bit more marginal, although the NBM exceedance probabilities of freezing temperatures are around 50 to 70% along and north of Highway 30. Some isolated frost is still possible, but we will hold off on any frost/freeze headlines for now, and let the day shift evaluate further.

A mid-level trough/vort maxima is progged to sweep through the area Sunday afternoon, which could generate small chances (10-30%) of light precipitation, mainly as rain, over the northeastern portions of the area. Steep low-level lapse rates and ample moisture aloft in the ice bearing layer may allow some snow to mix with the rain, but with surface temperatures above freezing, impacts from the snow remain very limited.

Sunday night will be a night to watch for more likely frost/freeze potential as the aforementioned mid-level trough moves out of the area, and high pressure builds in from Canada. Clear skies and lighter winds should help support even colder conditions, with overnight lows falling to the upper 20s to lower 30s. Frost/freeze headlines are more likely Sunday night, especially along and north of Interstate 80 where the NBM probabilities of freezing temperatures are around 70 to 100%!

LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/

Issued at 301 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

The quiet weather pattern looks to continue through at least mid- week next week, with large upper-level ridging progged to build over the Intermountain West region. Ensembles and deterministic global models suggest at least a small chance (20% or less) of showers/isolated storms Tuesday night as a warm front builds across the area. However, this chance of precipitation appears pretty fleeting, so not much impact expected from this. After a cooler than average weekend, temperatures are expected to gradually warm up Monday through Wednesday, increasing to the middle to upper 70s by Wednesday.

Farther out in time, the weather pattern appears to become more active by Thursday and Friday as a longwave upper trough develops over the western CONUS and approaches the area. This far out, there is much uncertainty on the exact timing and coverage of any precipitation, but general appearance of the synoptic pattern suggests a return of thunderstorms, particularly for Friday, as a cold front builds into the area.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 539 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

VFR conditions to prevail through the period, with high pressure building into the central Plains. Nighttime Microphysics satellite imagery and surface observations show some low VFR stratus dropping southeast out of MN this morning. This may reach DBQ later this morning. Otherwise, northwest winds will occasionally gust over 20kts today, before subsiding around sunset.

HYDROLOGY

Issued at 320 AM CDT Sat Apr 18 2026

Over the past week, multiple rounds of heavy rain have impacted eastern Iowa and northwestern/west-central Illinois. Rainfall amounts have run from 3 to 6 inches; much of this rain fell north of Highway 30.

Due to this heavy rainfall, area rivers are rising in response, especially in the Mississippi, Wapsipinicon, Iowa, Rock, and Cedar river basins. Several spots have already reached minor flood stage, with several forecast to go to moderate flood, especially on the Rock and the mainstem Mississippi downstream of Rock Island LD 15. Additional rainfall should remain limited over the next several days, but any additional rain may exacerbate these river flooding conditions.

Many area rivers are forecast to continue rising over the next several days, so make sure to be aware of impacts from the flooding, including water on roadways or affected local infrastructure and buildings. Motorists should obey barricades and not drive around them. Also, if you encounter a flooded roadway, turn around and find another route to your destination.

DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

IA...None. IL...None. MO...None.